2020-62: SNAP: Mass Replacements Due to Tropical Storm Isaias

Given the high number of SNAP households that suffered food loss due to Tropical Storm Isaias, FNS has approved the Department’s request to automatically replace SNAP benefits issued between July 5 and August 4 to eligible households in affected towns. This waiver will enable eligible households to receive the replacement benefits without providing verbal or written attestation to food loss. The Department will issue the mass replacements during the last week of August 2020.

Pursuant to the FNS waiver, households eligible for mass replacement will receive different replacement amounts based on their respective household sizes and benefit issuance dates. The varying replacement amounts are derived from FNS’s estimate of the average monthly amount of food consumed per household and the average amount of food per household lost due to Isaias, which equated to larger amounts for households whose benefits were issued between August 1 and August 4.

However, all eligible households can request additional replacement benefits if they believe that the mass replacement amount is less than the amount of their actual loss.